Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, experienced the daunting task of playing doubles with his idol, Rafael Nadal, at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Despite his impressive achievements, Alcaraz admitted to struggling with nerves during their first-round match on the iconic Court Philippe-Chatrier.
In his post-match talk with the media, Alcaraz explained that it wasn’t merely playing with Nadal that caused his anxiety but the entire situation. “It wasn’t Rafa himself that was imposing on me, but the situation. In the end, seeing the Philippe Chatrier stadium full, playing with Rafa, my first Olympics… It was a moment, I’ll say, that was difficult to deal with the nerves.”
As the match progressed, both players found their rhythm, showcasing their complementary skills. Alcaraz praised their training and the strong tennis moments they shared, stating, “We were training very, very well and we made the most of the opportunities that were given to us and in the end we ended up playing great tennis.”
Despite rumors of a potential setback for Nadal, the pair played cohesively, defeating a seasoned doubles team and advancing to the final 16. They now aim for Olympic gold, demonstrating their potential to fans with each match.
Alcaraz in Paris, ranking, and results in 2024
WWWWWWWWLW Currently ranked no.3, Carlos has managed to achieve a 34-6 record in 2024. Carlos is participating in Paris where he overcame the world no.275 Hady Habib 6-3 6-1.
Carlos Alcaraz will square off with the world no.374 Gabi Adrian Boitan in the . They have never competed against each other so far in top competitions.
The Spaniard conquered 3 titles in 2024 in Indian Wells, French Open and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz won 16 titles in his career: 4 on hard courts, 8 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 3 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Nadal in Paris, ranking, and results in 2024
Currently the world no.161, Nadal achieved a composed 12-6 match record in 2024. Rafael is currently competing in Paris where he defeated the world no.83 Marton Fucsovics 6-1 4-6 6-4.
Rafael Nadal will take on the world no.2 Novak Djokovic in the 2nd round on Monday at 2:00 pm on Court Philippe Chatrier. The head to head is 30-29 for Djokovic.
The Spaniard got to the final in Bastad (Nordea Open).
Rafael won 92 titles in his career: 24 on hard courts, 63 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Nadal will compete next at the U.S. Open (U.S. Open). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 26th of August.
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal clashed against each other 3 times. Their current head to head is 2-1 for Nadal. Previously, the last time they squared off, Carlos Alcaraz won 6-2 1-6 6-3 in the quarter in Madrid (Mutua Madrid Open) in May 2022.
Here are the highlights.
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal |
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